How to Be Productive in the Modern Age

We’re often so busy we forget why we’re busy in the first place.

Welcome to another blog post from Black Fox Productions! In this blog post, we’ll be discussing how to maximize your time in our modern age. Let’s jump right into it!

PRIORITIZE YOUR TASKS, THEN STICK TO THE SCHEDULE YOU’VE ESTABLISHED

There are only so many hours in a day. By extension, there are only so many days in a year. And, in the long term, there are only so many years we will be alive. For most of us, the majority of our time is dedicated to work that yields a paycheck, which in turn pays our bills. If work takes up most of your workweek, then how many hours will you have free once you leave the office?

Deciding your priorities (outside of your day job) is the first step in maximizing your time for productive endeavors. A good way to go about this is literally writing down your goals. It doesn’t matter how silly you think the goal is - write it down, even if they sound outlandish and silly. Then put them in order of priority. If the goal is larger (let’s say, starting a small business), it’s the height of wisdom to play the long game on priorities that will realistically take years to accomplish. If the goal is smaller (for example, setting a goal to meditate daily), then you can set this as a “daily” goal that you can work toward every morning before you head to work.

Once you’ve put your priorities in order, then you can make a schedule based on the list. Lay out a schedule that you can accomplish in small, incremental amounts each day. Over time, those tiny steps will produce a large, productive result.

LIMIT YOUR TIME ON THE INTERNET AND BLOCK OUT DISTRACTIONS

In the modern age, there are more media outlets than ever competing for your attention. Social media, internet browsing, email, texts and phone calls, television, and movies - all these outlets are fighting for your screen time. The more time you spend on these channels, the more profit these companies will make.

Although it might be hard at first, do your best to limit the amount of time you spend using these outlets. Let’s say you watch 1 hour of television every day when you get home from work. Make a compromise with yourself, and cut this down to 30 minutes per day instead. If you have a goal of writing a novel, set aside an hour each day to write. Over the course of a workweek, you’ll have dedicated five hours of writing toward your first foray into the literary world.

Limiting your time on the internet will most likely be the hardest thing to do on this list. In the modern age, the internet is inescapable and ubiquitous. While quitting the internet is not a realistic option for many of us who are dependent on constant connectivity for our jobs, limiting your time dealing with it is. When you leave the office, set your phone to do not disturb; unless it’s an emergency, it can wait until tomorrow.

SET MINI-DEADLINES FOR YOURSELF

I remember when I was in my mid-twenties, I had two goals that I wanted to achieve by the time I was thirty-five: I wanted to own a new vehicle, and I wanted to purchase my first home. Now with my thirty-fourth birthday just four months away, I’m happy to say I’m on track to finally accomplish those goals. I was able to purchase a new vehicle last December, and now my fiance and I are looking to purchase a home in a little over a year.

In the long-term, I have goals to make a feature film by the time I’m forty and publish three novels. While these are giant, lofty goals, that doesn’t mean that they’re out of reach - it just means that they will take a long time to accomplish while putting in massive amounts of work.

Setting deadlines for yourself helps put pressure on yourself to achieve milestones by certain dates. In the same way, you rush to meet a deadline at your day job, give the same sense of urgency to your goals.

CARVE OUT “NOTHING” TIME FOR YOURSELF EVERY DAY

With a set schedule every day dedicated to productive endeavors, make sure to also schedule time for yourself for relaxation. Your downtime is just as important because it refuels you, both mentally and physically. For those of you that work out regularly, you’ll know that the recovery process is when your muscles are actually made; this is when they take time to regroup and grow.

For thirty minutes each day, do something completely unproductive. Read a book, watch TV, goof around on the internet. Just make sure you don’t take this advice too far and spend hours every day on the couch. Procrastination is something we all do, just don’t let it become a habit.

CREATE A QUIET, PRIVATE SPACE FOR YOURSELF TO WORK

If you have the capability, create a space in your house that is dedicated to getting your work done. And for most people, that means creating a place that’s quiet and free from distraction. A home office is perfect for this type of thing. There are few things more relaxing to me than working in my home office with a cup of coffee nearby.  Your office should be as quiet and distraction-free as humanly possible. The quieter your workspace, the easier and more productive you’ll be.

I hope this has been helpful in accomplishing your goals and becoming more productive! We’ll see you next week!

- Jack Moffet